Roth, Cohen selected as mayor, deputy mayor
BY KATHY BARATTA Staff Writer

Michelle Roth

MANALAPAN - The spirit of bipartisanship carried the day on Jan. 2 as a Republican and a Democrat each nominated the other for the positions of mayor and deputy mayor for 2008.

The Township Committee held its annual reorganization in the main meeting room at the municipal building.

Republican Committeewoman Susan Cohen nominated Democratic Committeewoman Michelle Roth to serve as Manalapan's mayor this year.

Roth was elected by a 4-1 vote. She voted for herself and was supported by Cohen, Republican Committeeman Andrew Lucas and Democratic Committeeman Richard Klauber.

Committeeman Anthony Gennaro, an independent, voted no on Roth's nomination.

After being elected mayor, Roth nominated Cohen to serve as deputy mayor. Cohen was elected in a 5-0 vote.

In response to a question from a reporter later in the evening, Gennaro revealed that 2008 will be his final year on the committee. He said he will not run for a second term in November.

In addition to Gennaro's term, Roth's current term will also be ending in December. Roth and Gennaro were Democratic running mates in the November 2005 election. Gennaro eventually dropped his affiliation with the Democratic Party.

Cohen, in accepting her role as deputy mayor on the same night she was sworn into a full three-year term by Jennifer Beck, the 12th Legislative district's new state senator, spoke of her wish that the committee would continue to put political affiliation aside in the interest of better serving the community.

Cohen was appointed to the governing body in May after Republican Committeeman Joseph Locricchio resigned from office. She and Lucas were elected to threeyear terms in November. Lucas is starting his second term on the governing body.

"I appreciate everyone's confidence in me and I have confidence the five of us will do what is right for the town," Cohen said of her selection as deputy mayor.

Asked by a reporter after the meeting if she had concerns about reprisals from within her own party because she nominated and voted for Roth to be mayor, Cohen said she had discussed her decision with some members of the Republican Party. She said she acted in an effort to continue the working bipartisanship manner that she said had already been established by Lucas and Roth.

Lucas served as Manalapan's mayor in 2007, with Roth serving as deputy mayor.

"I wanted to continue the bipartisanship and our goal is to do what is right for the people. That should be our main obligation, to do what is right for the people," Cohen said.

Klauber observed that 2007 was his first year on the committee and said, "it (the committee) was effective due to bipartisanship."

In accepting the position of mayor, Roth said, "I am honored to serve as mayor and to be part of a governing body that has accomplished so much."

"In 2007 the Democrats and Republicans in Manalapan made the bold move to reach across party lines to find a middle ground and to do what was right for Manalapan. As I mentioned at our Dec. 19 meeting, Mayor Lucas found that the vast majority of the time the Democrats were likeminded on issues and policy decisions. The result was a productive year for our town and its residents," Roth said.

Before voting that evening, Gennaro said he hoped the new year would see the members of the governing body working together in order to effectuate a smooth running of the municipal government.

"We need to debate the issues and not each other," he said.

When asked after the public meeting why he had voted no on Roth's nomination as mayor, Gennaro said, "I could not support Mrs. Roth for mayor because I believe that leaders should unite communities, not polarize them. I sincerely hope that Mrs. Roth considers this as she assumes her mayoral role."

Asked for comment on Gennaro's statement, Roth said, "The Democrats and Republicans of Manalapan recognize, now more than ever, the importance of uniting for the betterment of our community. And so we move into 2008 positioned for a productive and successful year."

Lucas also spoke with a reporter following the Jan. 2 meeting.

Reflecting on his term as mayor and being re-elected, he said, "We were able to preserve over 300 acres of open space, exercise fiscal restraint by making over $1 million in budgetary cuts while not cutting any services and we have made the proper appropriations to keep our tax rate flat for the next few years.

"Most importantly, we showed that Republicans, Democrats and independents could leave politics at the door and work together to take positive action in making our community a better place," Lucas said.

As part of her acceptance speech Roth said she would like to see the committee focus on implementing an effective overhaul of Manalapan's summer recreation program and address a lack of commuter parking by applying for state grants and reaching a weekday parking agreement with the owner of the Englishtown Auction Sales, Wilson Avenue (Route 527).

Roth said parking decks and a shared services agreement with Marlboro are ideas she would look into in order to increase commuter parking lot options. She said officials will continue to work on plans to build a new fire and first aid building.

The area between the post office and the municipal building has been identified as a location for a new emergency services building.

Finally, Roth said officials will be looking to clean up Holiday Lake, Pease Road, which she said has been an "eyesore for many years."

Committee members appointed Kevin Kennedy as Manalapan's township attorney. He replaces Caroline Casagrande, who held that position in 2007 but did not pursue reappointment after being elected to the state Assembly in November.

Greg Valesi of CME Engineering was reappointed to serve as Manalapan's township engineer.

Volunteer appointments were also announced for several municipal boards.

Henry Rose was appointed to a fouryear term on the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Ryan Green was named first alternate and Stuart Katz was named second alternate.

With Planning Board member Neil Mulvey declining reappointment to the board due to increased work obligations, according to Roth, Richard Hogan was moved into Mulvey's one-year term. John McNaboe was moved from second alternate to first alternate and Anthony Musich was appointed to the second alternate position. Klauber was appointed as a member of the Planning Board for a oneyear term.

With the recent reformulation of the recreation advisory board, seven new full members and two alternate members were appointed.

Michael Gross, Diana Cochran and Glenn Essner were appointed to serve three-year terms. Rebecca Ginsberg and Richard Cohen were appointed to serve two-year terms. Jeff Ohlstein and George Rothweiler were appointed to serve oneyear terms. Jerry Maffia and Mary Neglia were appointed as the alternates.

Gross chaired the board last year. A chairman for 2008 will be selected when the board members meet in the near future.